2012 Indie Grits Festival: Official Lineup

By Mike Everleth ⋅ April 6, 2012

The sixth annual Indie Grits Festival, hosted by the Nickelodeon Theatre in Columbia, South Carolina, is actually more than just a film festival. Much, much more. From April 20-28, there will be film screenings, food tastings, bands playing, theater performances, a craft fair, a technology conference and oh so much more.

As for the films, though, every night — and a few afternoons — of Indie Grits is jam-packed with unique and creative independent feature-length movies and short films. Screenings take place at two locations: At the original Nickelodeon theater at 937 Main St. and at the New Nick location just up the road at 1607 Main St.

The fest opens with Bill Ross IV and Turner Ross’ narrative feature Tchoupitoulis, about three brothers who sneak into New Orleans on their own to witness the visual spectacles the city has to offer; and the documentary Dragons of Jim Green, directed by Randy M. Salo, about a WWII veteran who believes he has evidence that the Earth was once populated by a race of reptilian humanoids. Plus, there’s a block of documentary short films by filmmakers Kenneth Price, Lisa Danker, Brad Lambert and more.

Other feature films of note are: Robert Persons’ experimental documentary on the Georgia landscape, General Orders #9; the suspense thriller On Down the Line by Casey Barteau and Jon Schmalz; Steve Lickteig’s autobiographical documentary Open Secret; Blake Myers’ documentary profile of karaoke superhero Danger Woman, Disabled But Able to Rock; and the indie drama Taken In by Chris White.

On the short film front, be sure to not miss the latest and gorgeous documentary visual poem Search by Norumbega directed by Georg Koszulinski, to be reviewed soon on the Underground Film Journal. Plus, southern-based avant-garde filmmaker Jim Haverkamp will be screening his latest short, the speculative biography When Walt Whitman Was a Little Girl.

While the full list of films screening at Indie Grits is below, please be sure to check out the festival’s official website for exact screening location and to buy tickets in advance. In addition, the Indie Grits site has detailed info on all the other events, such as the Occupy Columbia indie media discussion, the Slow Food tasting party, the Craft Fair and everything else.

Here’s the full film lineup:

April 20

5:30 p.m.:Tchoupitoulis, dir. Bill Ross IV and Turner Ross. Three young brothers sneak away from home to visit an island where all kinds of scandalous behavior goes on.
Screening with:King of Instruments, dir. Ryan Cockrell

5:30 p.m.:Taken In, dir. Chris White. An estranged father and teenage daughter try to forge a bond on a trip to the legendary South of the Border rest stop.
Screening with:Whirlwind, dir. Owen Hamilton

6:00 p.m.:On Down the Line, dir. Casey Barteau and Jon Schmalz. A couple move into a farmhouse they’ve inherited and are tormented by the farmer who’s tended the land for decades.
Screening with:Summertime Flies, dir. J. Robinson (video) & Nathan Halverson (sound)

April 22

3:00 p.m.:Open Secret, dir. Steve Lickteig. In this documentary, the filmmaker tries to uncover his past that has been hidden from him by his family.

3:30 p.m.:The People You Know, dir. Elizabeth Spear. A married couple’s relationship begins to dissolve while on vacation with two of their old unmarried friends.
Screening with:Fork, dir. Austin Herring

8:00 p.m.:This Is What Love in Action Looks Like, dir. Morgan Jon Fox. This documentary covers the scandal that erupted when a teenage boy announced on MySpace that his parents were sending him to a camp that claims to successfully convert gay kids to being straight.

April 23

5:30 p.m.:Girl Model, dir. Ashley Sabin & David Redmon. An analysis of the supply chain of young female models between Siberia, Japan and the U.S.

8:00 p.m.:Eating Alabama, dir. Andrew Beck Grace. In this documentary, a couple attempt to start eating the way their grandparents did, more simply and seasonally.
Screening with:Grand Fugue on Gumbo, dir. Isabel Machado and Gideon Kennedy

April 24

5:30 p.m.:Disabled But Able to Rock, dir. Blake Myers. This documentary profiles Danger Woman, who sings karaoke to fight against homophobia, race-phobia and disable-phobia.

April 25

6:00 p.m.:Blue Meridian, dir. Sofie Benoot. This documentary journeys along the Mississippi River to examine the the complex relationship between place and identity.
Screening with:Fisher, dir. Yoram Benz

April 27

3:00 p.m.: “Janus Film Collection: Presented by Juror Sarah Finklea”

6:00 p.m.:Taken In, dir. Chris White. An estranged father and teenage daughter try to forge a bond on a trip to the legendary South of the Border rest stop.
Screening with:Whirlwind, dir. Owen Hamilton